This is an attempt to document the steps I needed to take to install VMware Server 2.0 beta now available for download. Please note that this is beta software from VMware and this should also be considered a beta tutorial. I have not tested these steps to any great degree, but its my hope that this will be a good starting point for those interested and any improvements can be left in comments for future improment.

I should mention first off that the VMware Server interface has completely changed in this release. It is now accessible via a web interface vs the application interface. This took a little bit of searching for me to find initially. To access your VMware Server you’ll need to do so via Firefox (I can’t get the remote console to work in Epiphany).

How to install VMware Server 2.0 Beta in Ubuntu 7.10 “Gutsy Gibbon”

1. Download VMware Server 2.0 Beta available from the VMware website. Write down the serial number it generates for you at registration.
2. Unpack this archive to a location on your machine (perhaps /tmp).
3. Before you configure and compile VMware Server we need to disable ipv6 support in Ubuntu as it is not currently compatible.
4. sudo aptitude install build-essential xinetd

,

5. cd /tmp/vmware-server-distrib ; sudo ./vmware-install.pl
6. Answer the questions presented during the installation. The defaults should be safe in most cases.
7. Because Ubuntu does not use the root user account we also need to setup access for your main user. Replace root with your username on line 10 of: /etc/vmware/hostd/authorization.xml (ACEDataUser).
8. At this point I had to restart my machine to put the changes in place. I did try restarting the service(s) after changing the config, but it still didn’t allow access.
9. Access your VMware Server via http://localhost:8222 or https://localhost:8333
10. Accessing the remote console tab to view your virtual machine will also require an extension installed to Firefox. This also requires a browser restart after the extension is installed.

The web interface took a bit of getting used to for me. I had to spend a few minutes in there poking around to find everything. I see some advantages in moving in this direction, but for those more familiar with VMware Server 1.x it is quite a change. All the rebooting and restarting seems a bit “Windows” to me, but maybe this can be improved in the future. Again, at this point the software (and this tutorial) are beta so you get to run it at your own risk and help fix bugs..

Related Posts

• VMware Converter 3.0 final - first impressions
The final of VMware Converter 3.0 is now available for download. I reviewed VMware Converter 3 Beta ...
• Q It Up: Windows Home Server Hits External Beta
Microsoft's secretive Windows Home Server (WHS) project--codenamed "Q" and first revealed on the Sup...
• E-Book The Official Ubuntu Book By Benjamin Mako Hill
Publisher: Prentice Hall Book Title: The Official Ubuntu Book By Benjamin Mako Hill, Jono Bac...
• Ubuntu Hacks E-Book
Book title: Ubuntu Hacks By Bill Childers, Jonathan Oxer, Kyle Rankin Publisher: O’Reilly ...
• Ubuntu CheckGmail 1.11
One loss you'll experience in the migration from PC to Ubuntu is the use of your Gmail notifier....
• Free E-book Moving to Ubuntu Linux By Marcel Gagné
If you are ubuntu user and if you are looking for some ubuntu related books for free check this ...
• Ubuntu Studio is a multimedia editing
Ubuntu Studio 7.04, a Ubuntu Linux variant aimed at audio, video, and graphic enthusiasts, was relea...
• Ubuntu guy has a Dell logo on his T-Shirt
Anyone notice that the Ubuntu guy has a Dell logo on his T-Shirt? Wow! Comment : I care about...
• Wubi installs Ubuntu through Windows in just a few clicks
Wubi is an unofficial Ubuntu installer for Windows users that will bring you into the Linux world wi...
• Ubuntu Feisty Fawn Automatix2
Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell, Inc., runs Automatix2 on his home PC (he uses Ubuntu Feisty...